Managing Battery Charge Status To Provide Safe Operation For Electronic Devices

Abstract

Intelligent safety management for a battery is performed by applying a charging voltage to the battery, monitoring an actual charge level of the battery, determining a first charging voltage and a first charge level for the battery for charging the battery, and determining a second charging voltage and a second charge level for the battery that substantially reduces or eliminates a safety hazard associated with the battery. The second charging voltage is less than the first charging voltage and the second charge level is less than the first charge level. The applied charging voltage is limited so that the actual charge level of the battery does not exceed the second charge level.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for performing intelligent safety management for a battery, the method comprising:
 applying a charging voltage to the battery;   monitoring an actual charge level of the battery;   determining a first charging voltage and a first charge level for the battery for charging the battery;   determining a second charging voltage and a second charge level for the battery, wherein the second charging voltage is less than the first charging voltage and the second charge level is less than the first charge level; and   limiting the applied charging voltage so that the actual charge level of the battery does not exceed the second charge level.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the limiting is performed by monitoring for overcurrent, or by monitoring for overvoltage, or monitoring for both overcurrent and overvoltage. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein the limiting is performed using firmware to limit the actual charge level of the battery to no greater than the second charge level. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein the limiting is performed by turning off the applied charging voltage in response to the actual charge level meeting or exceeding the second charge level. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising determining the first charge level as 100% of a full charge capacity of the battery; and limiting the second charge level to be no greater than 30% of the full charge capacity of the battery. 
     
     
         6 . A computer-implemented method for performing intelligent safety management for a battery, the method comprising:
 applying a charging current to the battery;   monitoring an actual charge level of the battery;   determining a first charging current and a first charge level for the battery for charging the battery;   determining a second charging current and a second charge level for the battery, wherein the second charging current is less than the first charging current and the second charge level is less than the first charge level; and   limiting the applied charging current so that the actual charge level of the battery does not exceed the second charge level.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6  wherein the limiting is performed by monitoring for overcurrent, or by monitoring for overvoltage, or monitoring for both overcurrent and overvoltage. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7  wherein the limiting is performed using firmware to limit the actual charge level of the battery to no greater than the second charge level. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7  wherein the limiting is performed by turning off the applied charging current in response to the actual charge level meeting or exceeding the second charge level. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6  further comprising determining the first charge level as 100% of a full charge capacity of the battery; and limiting the second charge level to be no greater than 30% of the full charge capacity of the battery. 
     
     
         11 . A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program stored therein, wherein the computer-readable program, when executed on a computing device including at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:
 apply a charging voltage from a power supply to the battery;   monitor an actual charge level of the battery;   determine a first charging voltage and a first charge level for the battery for charging the battery;   determine a second charging voltage and a second charge level for the battery, wherein the second charging voltage is less than the first charging voltage and the second charge level is less than the first charge level; and   limit the applied charging voltage so that the actual charge level of the battery does not exceed the second charge level.   
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 11  further configured for performing the limiting by monitoring for overcurrent, or by monitoring for overvoltage, or monitoring for both overcurrent and overvoltage. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12  further configured for performing the limiting using firmware to limit the actual charge level of the battery to no greater than the second charge level. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 12  further configured for performing the limiting by turning off the applied charging voltage in response to the actual charge level meeting or exceeding the second charge level. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 11  further configured for determining the first charge level as 100% of a full charge capacity of the battery; and limiting the second charge level to be no greater than 30% of the full charge capacity of the battery. 
     
     
         16 . A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program stored therein, wherein the computer-readable program, when executed on a computing device including at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:
 apply a charging current from a power supply to the battery;   monitor an actual charge level of the battery;   determine a first charging current and a first charge level for the battery for charging the battery;   determine a second charging current and a second charge level for the battery, wherein the second charging current is less than the first charging current and the second charge level is less than the first charge level; and   limit the applied charging current so that the actual charge level of the battery does not exceed the second charge level.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16  further configured for performing the limiting by monitoring for overcurrent, or by monitoring for overvoltage, or monitoring for both overcurrent and overvoltage. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17  further configured for performing the limiting using firmware to limit the actual charge level of the battery to no greater than the second charge level. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 17  further configured for performing the limiting by turning off the applied charging current in response to the actual charge level meeting or exceeding the second charge level. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 16  further configured for determining the first charge level as 100% of a full charge capacity of the battery; and limiting the second charge level to be no greater than 30% of the full charge capacity of the battery. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 apply a charging voltage from a power supply to the battery;   monitor an actual charge level of the battery;   determine a first charging voltage and a first charge level for the battery for charging the battery;   determine a second charging voltage and a second charge level for the battery, wherein the second charging voltage is less than the first charging voltage and the second charge level is less than the first charge level; and   limit the applied charging voltage so that the actual charge level of the battery does not exceed the second charge level.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  further configured for performing the limiting by monitoring for overcurrent, or by monitoring for overvoltage, or monitoring for both overcurrent and overvoltage. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22  further configured for performing the limiting using firmware to limit the actual charge level of the battery to no greater than the second charge level. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22  further configured for performing the limiting by turning off the applied charging voltage in response to the actual charge level meeting or exceeding the second charge level. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 21  further configured for determining the first charge level as 100% of a full charge capacity of the battery; and limiting the second charge level to be no greater than 30% of the full charge capacity of the battery. 
     
     
         26 . An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 apply a charging current from a power supply to the battery;   monitor an actual charge level of the battery;   determine a first charging current and a first charge level for the battery for charging the battery;   determine a second charging current and a second charge level for the battery, wherein the second charging current is less than the first charging current and the second charge level is less than the first charge level; and   limit the applied charging current so that the actual charge level of the battery does not exceed the second charge level.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26  further configured for performing the limiting by monitoring for overcurrent, or by monitoring for overvoltage, or monitoring for both overcurrent and overvoltage. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27  further configured for performing the limiting using firmware to limit the actual charge level of the battery to no greater than the second charge level. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 27  further configured for performing the limiting by turning off the applied charging current in response to the actual charge level meeting or exceeding the second charge level. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 26  further configured for determining the first charge level as 100% of a full charge capacity of the battery; and limiting the second charge level to be no greater than 30% of the full charge capacity of the battery.